I just don't consider it real art. If someone else wants to by all means that's fine, but from a personal viewpoint I don't think photomanipulation is anywhere near other art forms. I see too much dishonesty among those who manipulate to the point that I've seen pieces that I was completely amazed with that were categorized as being 'Digital Art' when they truly turned out to be photomanipulations. I think photomanipulations are almost detrimental to art when they're misnamed digital paintings. Sadly, where digital art is concerned if something looks like it's a photograph, more often than not it is.

While I know photomanipulating takes a good deal of photoshop skills, as a digital artist myself I know the tricks they use and see it as 'cheating' in a sense. I know that some traditional artists view what I do in the same light that I view manips.

For me, though, using photoscrap and stock just is not the same as creating something original.